Loading chute



Jan. 9, 1940. G. w. GUHLIN ET AL' LOADING ciwTE Filed July 23, 1958 I I 4 Sheets-Sheet l GUNNAR W GUHLIN TRAVIS G. WAGGONER 1940- G. w. GUHLIN ET AL 2, 86,292

' LOADING CHUTE Filed July 23, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 :Iwucmlow GUNNAP W GUHLIN TreAvls G. WAGGONER Jan 1940- Y G. w. GUHLIN AL 2,186,292

LOADING CHUTE Filed July 25, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F i 9 glwucntow g.

GUNNAE W. GUHLIN TRAVIS 6. WAGGONEE Patented Jan. 9,1940

' UNITE -STATES- 2,1 6,292 7 LOADING CHUTE Gurmar w. cumin and Travi's G. Waggoner.

Houston, Tex

Application July 23, '1938, 'Serial, N 22o,s39 j igol ims. (crane-r5) This invention relates toa loading chute. An object of the invention is to provide a chute of the character described'special-lydesigned to" be'mounted in the hatch of a ship'for loading loose material such as scrapiron or other'similar material.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chute of the character described-Which may be moved longitudinally; as well, as transversely, of the hatch and whichzmay be swung around about a vertical axis so asto deliver the freight or merchandise at the desired location.

It is a further object of theinvention to jam vide apparatus of the character described wherebythe chute proper may-be elevated or lowered.

It is a further object 'ofthe invention to provide in apparatus of the 'character described a" chute having an adjustable discharge end for controlling the discharge, therefrom, of the- -freight delivered along the chuteinto the ves- With the aboveand other objects in View, the

' invention has particularrelation' to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification andillustrate'd inthe accomf panyingjdrawings. fwher Figure 1 shows aside elevation oftheapparawe. a l I Figure 2 shows a rear viewof the chute p'roper. Figure 3 shows a fplan view," partly lorolien away. i Figure 4 shows across-sectional view taken on the'line 4-4 of Figure 3..

Figure 5 shows aside 'view of the chute-adjus I ing mechanism. I Figure 6 shows a rear elevation thereof.

.. Figure '7 shows a fragmentary, edge 'viewof the chute locked or secured in its lower position.

,Figure 8 shows a similar view, showing the] locking mechanism released for the adjustment of the chute.

. Figure 9 shows a fragmentary edge view of the chute locked in elevatedposition. Y v Referring nowtrno re particularlyto the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numerals; I, I designate parallel tracks arranged on opposite sides of the hatch 2 of the vessel'to be loaded. Extending transverselyv of the hatch and spaced the required distance apart, arethe beamst, 3. These are preferablyin the form of I-beams. I which-run along the tracks I. "They form a supportaomwhich the circular. frame 5 is mounted byanchoredctogether and mountedsothat they They are mounted ,on'the rollers 4,'4j

andto whicnitlis securedin any preferred manne'r' as-by welding.v Atransverse bar 6 extends across the' circular frame. 5 toward the forward end: of the structure; At the opposite side of the frame are ,the transverseparallel tracks 1, 8 5

preferably. formed of I-beams',. the former of which isimou'nted on the rollers 9, 9 which '.in

turnia resupported on thecircular frame5. The: 3

bar SI-is anchored to thetrack' l by means of the longitudinal end bars Bay-6d and"dependingifrom"10' the respective 'ends' of. the .bar .6 are the ,rollers 6b which run: on the circular frame 5'. .The: trackfi issupported on a suitable'A-frame compcse'dofthe side members 1'0, Ill whose forward- .ends are attached to the track 1- and which con-- sid'e'"roller 153 which-rides against the underside of the top fia'nge ofthe "circular track 5. A The inner flange of the channel li' extends down ,5

wardly below the level of the top flange of thecircular" frame 5, as shown in Figure. 4. whereby to prevent displacement of the channel from the circular frame 5. Thetracks 1, 8 are theremay rotate as {a unit arounduthe circular frame 5' andzthe entire structure, including the beams 3',i.maymovetback. and forth. along'the tracks I,

As willbe'noted from aninspection of Figures 1, 3 and 4=fzthe tracks 1, 8 and the sidefm'embers,

Hliofthe A.-f;rame form a supporting framework for'theplatform M: This platform is mounted to move transversely of the circular frame 5,-on the tracks l 8 and for that purpose is provided- Withutherollers'. I5,- I 6. Vided to supportthe-chute proper H. The chute ,isEarrangedin-front of the platform I4 and ex-. tends atv the. desired angle" down through the" hatch into the'vessel. It may be of any selected I design. Pivoted to. the lower end of the chute 1 there is a transverse, forwardly directed, plateiike; deflector la. The deflector is adjustable so as to determine the direction of the discharge ofthe freightor other articles passing downwardly along the chute; onto the-deflector, At the lower endof' -the chute, on the rearside, are'the trans verse cleats l9 I9 I90; having aligned bearings therethrough to receive the adjusting-rods. 20, 20. The lower ends of. these rods are. forwardly di I rectedfand have theupwardly turned fingers 211 The platformdfill is pro 4f) I on which the deflector i8 is supported. Above the upper cleat l9a the rods are formed with the heads 2fla which limit the downward movement of the rods 20. Beneath the cleat l9a the rods are connected by a yoke 22 and surrounding said rods 2i] and interposed between the yoke 22 and the cleat- Isa are the coil springs 23. There are the cables 24, 24 attached at one end to the respective ends of the yoke 22 and at their other ends to the respective ends of the yoke 25 andthes'e cables work around the sheaves 26, 26 mounted on the underside of the chute l1.

Rotatably mounted on the underside of the chute I! there is a drum 2! which may be rotated by the crank 28. A cable 29 is attached at one end to the yoke 25 and its other end is wound.

around the drum 27. If it be desired to elevate the deflector IS the drum 2l'may be turned"to R wind up on the cable 29 and will thereby move. the rods 20 and fingers 2i upwardly to'increas the upwardinclination; of said deflector. ,The

springl23 will yieldably maintain the yoke '22 and the transverse cleat 19:1 in spaced relation so thatthe cable 29is .always tight. The drum 2'! may be held against reverse turning by means of a conventional rack-and-dog arrangement 39.

Underneath the. platform; 14 and mounted. to

rotate in suitable bearings depending from said mechanism on said platform may be moved along the tracks 7,. 8 by rotating the.drum..32 one way or the other asdesired. The rearyend of the.

shaft 3| has a bevel gear wheel 36 fixed thereon which is in mesh with'and is drivenby a similar bevelgear wheel 31. which is fixed on: the lower endof the vertical shaft 38 rotatable in a suitable bearing in the platform; The upperend of the shaft '38 has a bevel gear wheel 39 fixed thereon which is in mesh with andis driven by a corre-.;

sponding bevel gear 40 on theshaft of the e1ec.

trio motor 4|.and through the gearing above described the shaft 3| may be driven. The clutch 33 may be shifted-by anyv conventional type of clutch shifting lever or mechanism. v

Upstanding from the platform [4 are the spaced standards 42,42 and atransverse shaft 43 is mounted to rotate in suitable bearings in these standards. This's'haft also rotates in the intermediate bearings 44, 44 in the upstanding bearing supports 45, 45 as shown inFigure 6. The motor shaft is geared to the main countershaft 43 by means of the spur 46 which is fixed on themotor shaft and which is in mesh with and drives the spur gear 41 which is fixed on the shaft 43. Loosely mounted-in the respective ends of the shaft 43 are the cable winding drums 48,

declutched from saidshaft by means of the jaw clutches 50, 5| which are splined on the shaft.

43 and which may be shifted by any conventional type of clutch shifting lever. i

There are the intermediate cable winding drums 52, 52 loosely mounted on" the shaft 43; These drums 52; 52 are formed integrally and maybe clutched with and declutched from the shaft 43 by the jaw clutch 53 which may be shifted into and out of clutchingrelation with the drums by' the conventional clutchshifting x be thereby' bodily elevated.

The

lever. The clutches 59, 5| and 53 are suitably splined on the shaft 43. Thedrums 48 and 49 and one of the drums 52 are each formed with .the corresponding sides of the chute I1, and which pass thence over the pulleys 63, 53 mount- "edion the inner sides of the upper ends of the standards 42 and the other ends of the cables "are wound about the respective drums 48, 49. When these last mentioned drums are clutched with the. shaft .43and the motor is started the cables 60 will be wound up'and the chute I! will It is preferable to operate the clutches 50, 5| by a common clutch shifting mechanism sothat the drums .48, 49 will be simultaneously clutched with and declutched from the shaft 43. When the'drums 48, 49 are declutched from said shaft the cables 60 will unwind and allow the chute I! to descend and the descent of the chute maybe controlled by the" brakes E'I, 58.

Slidably connected with .the standards 42 and vertically movable thereon are the supplemental standards 64, 64. Mounted in suitable transversely aligned bearings in the supplemental standard 64 there is a rotatable shaft 55 one end ofwhichhas the controlling lever 65 fixed thereto. The supplemental standards 54 are supported in their lower position on' the outwardly extended studs, 61 which are carried bythe stand ards42 asshown more clearlyinFigure 6.

. Fixed to the shaft 65am the arms 68, 68 whose upper free ends are 'pivotally connected to the links'69, 69 which maybe adjusted in length by conventionalturnbuckles I0, 10. The upper ends of these links support a transverse rod 11...

The upper ends of the supplemental standards 54 arejc'onnected by a transverse rod 12 and pivotally mounted on this rod 12 are the levers 13, 13 whose lower ends have bearings on, the respective' ends of the rod ll as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The upper ends of the levers 13 are forwardly curved and have the inside rollers 14 mountedthereon-which overhang the margins of the chute H .as clearly shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive.

v Depending from the side margins of the chute H are the rack members '15, 15 Whose lower margins are serrated forming series of transversely aligned seats "H5 between the teeth thereof.

The levers 73 have the inwardly projecting studs Tl. on theirinner sides which normally engage in the corresponding seats 16, as shown in Figures 7 and 9 to hold the chute l "I in a selected position. Thelever 66 may bemoved forwardly or into the position shown inFigure 8; This will partly rotate the shaft 65 exerting a downward pull on the links Sdand elevating the rollers '54 clear of the chute l'l' as shown in Figure 8jand at the same time the lift arms 18, fixed on the levers l3, will engage underne'aththemargins of the chute 11 and elevate'saidchute so as to unseat the seats lii'from the studs H and the) drums 43, 49 may then be rotated as hereinabove explained to move the chuteupwardly orthe ouslyegrplainedland when the desired adjustment of. the chute hasb'een. accomplishedthe .levern66. may be, moved back .to :original: positionas shown in Figures 7 and 9 so as to seat the studs. Ti in the correspondi-ngf'seats iii-1 to; hold the chute at the 1 desiredpoin pf elevation If it-be vdesired to change the angle of inclination of he chute i this may be done by elevating the supplemental standards 64 as shown in Figure 9. For this purpose the cables i9, 79 have been provided. These cables are attached atone end to the shaft 65 and each cable passes over the pulleys til, 8% rotatably mounted on the cross-bar 82 whose ends are connected to the standards 52 and the, other ends of these respective cables 19 are wound around the corresponding drums 52,

52. The clutch 53 may be engagedwith said drums 52 and upon rotation of the'drums 52 the. cables i9 will be wound'thereon and the supplemental standards 5 5, G4 and the appendants thereon will be elevated thus elevating the upper end of the chute ll andlchanging the 'pitchof the chute. The supplemental standards maybe held at any desired point of elevation by means of the brake 59 and upon release of, said brake the supplemental standards 54, 64 the appendants thereonand the upper endof the chute will be i v of the chute.

lowered by gravity.

The drawings and description disclose what isnow considered to be a preferred form of invention by way of illustration only, while the broad priniciple of the invention will be defined by the appended claims. I What we claim is: V

1. A loading chute shaped to be located inthe hatch of a VesseL'a carriage supported on and;

movable along thesides of the hatch, aframe forming a circular track on the carriage, a transverse track on the" frame and movable. about a vertical axis around the frameymeans movable along the transverse track andsupporting the chute. i i

2. A loading chute shaped tobe located'in the hatch of a vessel, a carriage supported on and movable' along the sides of the hatch, a frame forming a circular track on the carriage, a transverse track on the frame and movable, about.

a vertical. axis around the frame, means movable along the transverse traclr and supporting the chute, and means for elevating and lowering the chute on said supporting means.

3. A loading chute shaped tobelocated in the hatch of a vessel, a carriage supported on and movable along the sides of the hatch, a frame forming a circular track on the carriage, a trans' verse track on the frame and movable about a vertical axis around the frame, means movable along the transverse track and supporting the chute, and means for varying the angle of inclination of the chute. 5 I

4. A'loading chute shaped to'be located in the hatch of a vessel, a'carriage supported on and.

movable along the sides of the hatch, a frame forming a circular track on the carriage,-a transverse traek on the frame and movable, about a vertical axis around the frame, means movable along the transverse track and supporting the chute, means for elevating and lowering the chute on said chute-supporting means, and means for varying the inclination of I the chute.

5. A'loading chute shaped to be located inthe hatch of a vessel, a carriage supported on, and

movable along the sides of the hatch, acircular track on the carriage, a transverse track on said circular track and'movable around the circular track; means movable along :the transverse track andjsupporting: the, chute,".means for'elevating,

and lowering the chute on said vchute.-sup1:"ortin, g;. 1

means, and means for varying thelnclination. of thechuteag 6. Apparatus!- of the character described com-... prising a-carriage, a circular track'on thecarriage, a transverse track movable about a vertical axison the circular track-,1a platform movable along the transverse track, supporting standards on the platform, a declining chute extended through the circular track and supported by said standards, means for elevating and lowering the chute relative to the platform and standards, and means for maintaining the chute at a selected elevation.

'1 '7. Apparatus of'the'character described com-j prising a oarriagaa circular track on-the carriage, a transverse track movable about a vertical aXison-the circular track, a-platform movablealong the transverse track, supporting standards on theplatform, a declining chute extended through the circular track and supported by said standards, means for elevatingand lowering the chute relative to the platform and standards,

elevation, andmeans for varying the inclination means for maintainingthe chute at as'elected 8. A loading mechanism comprising a circular frame adapted tobe supported by the sides of a hatch of a boat, a transverse track spanning the frame and movably supported thereon, a cargo handling device, means for supporting the cargo handling device movably along the trans verse track, the path of the cargo handling'device being arcuate'uponmovement of the transverse track around the circular frame.

9. A cargo loading mechanism comprising a circular frame adapted to be supported by the riage, a-transverse track movable about a 'vertical axis on thecircular track, a platform movable along the transverse track, supporting standards on the platform,'a declining chute extended through the circular i track,-members on the chute 1 and standards adapted to engage to thereby provide a connection between the standards and the upper end of the chute, means adapted to raise the chute relative to the" standards to disengage said members in order to allow longitudinal -mov ement of the; chute, and means forpsuspending the lower end of the chute from the platform.

l1. Apparatus" of the character described comprising a carriage, a circular track on the car-Q ri'age, a transverse track movable about a verticalaxis on thecircular track, a platform movable along the transverse track, supporting standards on the platform, a declining chute extended through thecircular track and supported by said standards, means forelevating and lowering the chute relative to the platform and standards, meansfor maintaining the chute at'a selected elevation, a deflector mounted on the lower-end 'of the chute, and means under. the control of an operator for varying the-angle of the deflector relative to the chute.

clined chute, standards for supporting the upper end-of the chute, members on the chute and standards'adapted to engage to thereby provide a connection between the standards and the upper end of the chute, means adapted to raise the 1 12. A loading mechanism comprising an in chute reIati've to the standards to disengage said members in order toallow longitudinal movementof the chute, and means for supporting the lower end of the chute.

GUNNAR W. GUHLIN. TRAVIS G. WAGGONER. 

